Brazil
The first graduation of chiropractors (quiropraxaistas) from the University Anhembi Morumbi (UAM) in São Paulo featured 28 graduates - more than doubling the number of chiropractors in Brazil, from 23 to 51. The UAM program, conducted at full international level in impressive facilities, is led by Palmer West graduate and former president of the Associação Brasileira de Quiropraxia (ABQ), Dr. Eduardo Bracher.
The program has been developed in partnership with Western States Chiropractic College (Portland, Oregon), which was represented at the graduation by former dean Dr. Lester Lamm. Representing the WFC at the ceremony were Mr. David Chapman-Smith, WFC secretary-general; and Dr. Ricardo Fujikawa, WFC council representative (Latin American Region) and current president of the ABQ.
With Brazil's other chiropractic school, at Feevale University in Novo Hamburgo, due to graduate its inaugural class from its full program on Jan. 6, 2005, chiropractic in Brazil is now well-established.
Chile
In one of the major events for the profession in this decade, 78 former kinesiologists from Argentina (18) and Chile (60) graduated as chiropractors in a ceremony in Santiago, Chile, on Sept. 6, 2004.
The graduates were from a conversion program originally commenced by Dr. Etienne Dubarry and the Southern California University of Health Sciences (SCUHS), but then administered and completed by the Anglo-European College of Chiropractic (AECC) of Bournemouth, England. Drs. Ricardo Fujikawa and Sira Borges represented the WFC and congratulated the Chilean leader, Dr. Raul Guinez, and his colleagues on their achievement. Dr. Kenneth Vall, acting AECC principal, led the AECC delegation.
Prior to this, there were only two practicing chiropractors in Chile. Dr. Guinez is president of the Chilean Corporation for the Development of Chiropractic (CCDQ), the registered organization representing the new Chilean graduates. The CCDQ and AECC are currently in negotiations with a Chilean university to commence a full chiropractic educational program.
Malta
In the Mediterranean, halfway between Italy and Tunisia, lies the island country of Malta, which has become the most recent country to form a chiropractic association - the Malta Association of Chiropractors (MAC). Congratulations go to the three founding members: Dr. Douglas Inkol, a graduate of Life; Dr. Michael Solan, a graduate of National; and Dr. Adam Bate, a graduate of Palmer.
Dr. Inkol, the MAC president, would be most interested to hear from any chiropractor practicing elsewhere in the world who is a Maltese national or has family linked to Malta.
New Zealand
In a country that has only approximately 350 chiropractors, the lyceum of the New Zealand College of Chiropractic, held at the college in Auckland in September, had over 300 delegates for a program featuring noted speakers such as Dr. Fred Carrick, Dr. David Koch, and college presidents Dr. Carl Cleveland III (Cleveland College), Dr. Gerard Clum (Life West and first vice president, WFC) and Dr. Brian Kelly (New Zealand College of Chiropractic).
Panama
The founding father of chiropractic in Panama, Palmer graduate Dr. Alfredo Orillac, who led the campaign for the first legislation in Latin America regulating the practice of chiropractic in 1974, is now largely retired. However, the family tradition will be continued: His granddaughter, Lillia Orillac, is a student at Parker College in Dallas, Texas, and is poised to be another chiropractic leader in the next generation.
